


Before She Was Queen

by Sing



Category: Epic (2013)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Pre-Movie, Romance, Sacrifice, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-28
Updated: 2015-12-28
Packaged: 2018-05-09 23:00:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5558957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sing/pseuds/Sing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Careful or you'll see yourself crowned,"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before She Was Queen

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Epic or the characters what so ever.

"Hey hey hey little one, slow down," Tara coos as she scoops the excited blossom up in her arms, out of the way of the hurrying twigs rushing by. "Don't you know you need to stop to smell the roses little one?"

The blossom, face red and petals twitching happily, eyes wide and round bobs her head. "Yes. I am a rose, or will be, I smell myself all the time!" she laughs. 

Smiling kindly at the young one Tara sets her down "Well you ought to slow down so folk can smell you," she teases, tweaking her nose and the little rose goes running and laughing back in the opposite direction. "I said slow down!" Tara calls after her, face alight with mirth and then remembering the rose makes a concerted effort to do just that. 

Ronin, strolling beside her grins as he catches her hand in his. "Careful, or you'll see yourself crowned,"

Tara's gaze slides to her companion and she throws her head back. "Crowned? You've seen me in a dress Ronin, I'd make an awful queen," she laughs. Ronin raises a brow at her. 

He has, in fact, seen Tara in a dress. So he does, in fact, know she would make a resplendent, beautiful queen. If that were her destiny. If....by some cruel fate, the bloom chooses her.....but no. Ronin shakes his head and tightens his grip. 

"All I'm saying is, it can't hurt to be a little mean, just a bit, keep you off the queens radar,"

"You think catching a young rose is gonna make me queen, Ronin?" she asks in a wheedling note, leaning into this shoulder. "Why half of Moonhaven is qualified if that's the case. You, could be queen if mere kindness does the trick,"

It's not mere kindness, Ronin thinks as he looks at her. It's grace and the light in your eyes and the inherent good in your heart. It's the strength of your fight when you put your mind to something and the smile that makes people feel cherished, safe. It's that I love you and people already love you, too. All they need is an excuse to openly show it. Everyone strains against the draw you have on them---it's inappropriate admiration while the queen reigns and lives----too powerful to go unnoticed. 

The Queen is benevolent and nearing the end of her rule....but not senile, and not stupid. She would know who would make a great ruler in her stead, and with a frightening surety---one that seems to go straight over Tara's head---he suspects there is a very great possibility, that Tara will be her chosen heir. 

And she will no longer be his alone to love, but the whole forest. 

Yet. "I'll see you tonight?" he asks, leaning in just close enough to her face for the softest, barest nuzzle. 

"No one misses tonight, Ronin, you know that," she scolds him playfully. 

"Good, because I have something for you,"

"Give it to me now," she pleads with him, grasping his arm and eyes glinting. 

"No, tonight, with a new queen and new beginnings, the atmosphere will be perfect," he promises and Tara pulls him swiftly for the lightest kiss on the lips before she lets him go with a knowing smirk. 

"Until tonight Ronin,"

"Till tonight,"

**************

The gathering is full of all of the admiring waiting inhabitants of the forest, beneath the full moon. And Tara stands beside Ronin, waiting with expectation, eyes a glow. The lighting is right. His heart hammers in his chest as he sinks down on one knee, his head bowed, a hand grasped in his as he asks the single most important question of his life.

A great gasp fills the air around them as the bloom opens, golden pollen swirling through the air. The crowd watches in rapture, waiting to see on whom this blessed mist will descend. 

"Will you marry me, Tara?"

"Yes, Ronin," she smiles. Twinkling golden bits rain down around her, falling on them both. They are oblivious to the widening eyes and the sudden sweep of everyone into deep bows and kneeling. Heads pressed reverently to the floor. 

Her answer makes his heart leap and he bounds to his feet, ignoring the sparkling light surrounding them, arms circling her waist and her lips press against his before another scandalized gasp sucks the air from this beautiful happy moment. Shakes him from his reverie. 

"Unhand the queen!" someone hisses. Ronin looks around, Tara does too, fearing they've missed it when they both suddenly take in her leafy gown, the golden circlet nestled upon her head. 

Tara feels her heart bloom, filling and growing with love for the forest, for the denizens, her royal court, mind flooding with knowledge and body tingling with power. 

Compulsion, devotion, drives Ronin to his knees once more. 

They cannot help but bow to their queen. It is in their blood, their being to worship that which will guide and sustain them. His love cannot rival the obligatory respect and reverence that her transformation instills in him. Her hand is still in his. 

"Ronin," she whispers quietly, afraid. There is more love in her heart than she knows what to do with, where there was once only Ronin there is everything, everyone, so much more and so vast, she fears him slipping away in the sea of it and she needs assurance, some assurance that the one pinprick, the one seed of feelings she carries for Ronin will survive this terrifying tide. 

She is his no longer, he knows. 

He cannot be hers. She is beyond him now. Queens do not take kings. 

Their hearts cannot be divided to love one thing more than others. This new heritage will not allow her to do it. 

She squeezes her eyes shut, feeling his hesitation. She doesn't want to forget him. To bury this part of her heart. There is a way, they can find a way, she knows, if he would only hold on----

but he lets go, and takes his ring back with it, keeps his head bowed low. "Your majesty," he greets. 

"Ronin,"

"All hail Queen Tara!" he roars unexpectedly, turning away from her towards the crowd, and while everyone takes up exultant cheers he makes his quiet exit away from his new Queen.

*******************

It takes a year. 

A year for her to tend to the ache enough so it doesn't poison her heart but doesn't go completely out. She masters this art quickly.

A year for him to drive the past out of his system and to do his training in earnest. 

He abandoned her once, in the way she needed, the way he wanted. He hopes this alternative can make up for it. Can serve. 

It's a gloriously sunny day when they announce she has a new commander. It makes no difference to her. They have gone through three since her reign began, one lost in battle with boggans, another to post traumatic stress--an early retirement---and the other.....the other got stomped. Though they are always the same. Companionably distant. They tell her politely of their missions, where and where not to go. Handle her with care like precious glass. No personality otherwise to speak of, which is an uncharitable thought that she clips instantaneously. 

"See him in," she replies in her melodious regal tone. 

She is so changed and yet not, he thinks as he enters the throne room. Her gown of leaves billowing behind her. She wears her hair up now. She stands straighter. 

"Welcome Commander---" she stops mid speech when she sees who has come to serve her now. To attend to her, to ensure her safety. 

The smallest flare goes off in her chest, steady, easy, no greater than the rest, she says to herself silently, though she knows it's a lie. He looks so handsome in uniform. 

She is a vision and he shall never forget it. He intends to do right by her now in ways that he couldn't when he ran. 

"Coward." she stammers, voice mildly accusatory. Ronin nods. 

"I will bear it,"

"You horrible coward,"

He nods again, he will let her rant at him for hours if she will let him keep her safe. If she will let him submit to the impulse and devotion in him to his queen without putting the kingdom in jeopardy due to other feelings. If she will allow him this, Being near but not too much, he will endure all of her scrutiny and disdain. 

Tara is no fool. She sees this chance for what it is. His presence at least will keep her steady. She cannot lose the love she carries for him entirely with him always there. And at least he'll be there. Duty may divide them in one way but this alternative will do. Just until.

Just until she has to choose her own bloom. Her own new heir. To tear another young woman from the man she loves. Choose someone young, her mind whispers to her. Someone who will not know the sun rays of love only to know the shadow of being alone. Someone who will not have tasted heartbreak. 

They only need survive until then. 

"Kneel," she instructs him, because she is angry but she's losing a grip on that fast as she approaches him and allows herself just this once to caress his head. He leans into the touch. That is enough, just enough, she smiles. "Welcome, Comander Ronin. I have no doubt that you will be an incredible and brave leader of our forces, protecting the kingdom, and myself,"

Ronin heaves a sigh of relief. They can do this, he thinks, meeting her eyes. They just have to last. Their hearts are strong enough, their feet nimble enough for this dance, this careful balance of honour and duty and inner raging of their hearts. They can do this. She gives the slightest nod and knows she's on the same page. They're in this together. They will heal from this and move forward and work together to have the someday they were robbed of. 

"It was all going so well," he murmurs suddenly, capturing her hands and pressing it to his lips. Just this once. Tara gives a hearty full bodied laugh. 

"Right? and then I went and got myself crowned,"


End file.
